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Next generation of flexible payloads will continue to widen towards the on-board processing (OBP) architecture as core of their design. The increasing of the satellite capabilities in term of service and applications demand is pushing the exigency to improve the current way to think and design a SATCOM payload.
At European level another mandatory exigency is motivated by the technological non-dependence and competitiveness as stated and stimulated by European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) in the frame of H2020. This is to guarantee not only the non-dependency from products coming from out-side Europe and its affiliate Countries, but also to improve the competitiveness and final product/solutions performances. First step to improve OBP technology towards a Next Generation (NG) is to implement new space components having rad hard characteristics and improved integration scale moving towards deep sub-micron microelectronics (DSM) technology at 65 nm end beyond.
The Study has given an outlook on the new space missions and related market interest that are stimulating the DSM as driver for the NG-OBP development. The description starts from an outlook on the state-of-the-art of the OBP technology, watching the main technologies up to now assessed. A view is provided on the relationships between the main actors can be involved in the space DSM and that contribute in the implementation and improvement of this technology.
The Study has been concluded providing a summary on the main key functional requirements derived by the provided technology assessment, useful for the future developments and contributing in convincing the satellite market to make the jump towards a new age of the satellite technology.
Another item provided in the concluding part of the Study has been the definition of a cost/benefit analysis providing a consistent technology roadmap.
The target of the ESA contract. 21425/08 is to design and develop converter and local oscillators for flexible payloads. Thales Alenia Space Italia has designed, manufactured and tested the Engineering Model of the unit verifying the given requirements. As result of this study, Thales Alenia Space is able to propose Ku band Frequency Flexible Down Converters for Flexible Communication Payloads with less units having the same configuration and enhanced flexibility in frequency.
3D-MID Technology enables the integration of mechanical, electronic, optical and thermal functions into single parts via selective metallisation offering a high geometric design freedom. This enables the miniaturisation of electronic devices and allows three-dimensional designs to be realised with offer significant reductions in space and weight compared to conventional electronic manufacturing methods.
In future high-capacity multi-beam GEO satellite networks, mobile terminals are subject to relatively frequent beam and gateway handovers with a significant rate of inter-system handovers to be handled by sophisticated IPv6-mobility management solutions.
The verification of satcom scenarios on a test bed tailored for heterogeneous mobile networks alongside with the analysis of respective economic impacts are on focus of this activity.
Ultimate Eurostar 3000 (E3000) AOCS evolutions for low-thrust transfer and electric station keeping, implemented on full electric telecom satellites:
• Accommodation of new gyroscopes and new wheels,
• Development and qualification of:
o Star tracker-based AOCS for operational and recovery modes,
o Management of low-thrust transfer (Electric Orbit Raising = EOR)
o Commanding of the robotic arm supporting the electric thrusters in EOR and on-station configuration
o Autonomy management with hierarchical Failure Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR), commandability and observability optimization adapted to electric transfer.
The RF2D-D2RF project (direct Digital to RF and vice-versa), basing on the data converters manufactured by E2V within the ESA deep submicron technology activity, has concretely removed analog frequency conversions directly processing L band signals in digital. The performances of the RF digitization/generation hardware demonstrator have been analytically modelled and measured for a triple RF2D and D2RF beamforming-ready chain.
A GaN SSPA was developed with the aim of reducing complexity and cost, with increased power (from 15W to 30W), and thus halving the number of operational SSPAs and simplifying payload architecture. The overall SSPA test approach has also been improved with a significant increase in throughput during production realised through streamlining of test stages and optimisation of test algorithms.
To improve the flexibility of the individual satellite, TESAT has developed the new product line of Flexible Programmable Microwave Power Modules (FPMs). The subject of this program lies on the development of a EPC/LCAMP assembly for higher power class FPM in the currently most frequently employed frequency band for telecommunication payloads, a 300W Ku-Band Single FPM. Additionally a qualification campaign is to be conducted using an EQM EPC/LCAMP assembly with a representative 300W TWT.
The aim of the activity was to qualify an EQM for a Circular OMT for complete K/Ka-Band (TX: 17.7-20.2GHz & RX: 27.0 – 30.0 GHz) suitable for multibeam applications.
The SATURN project is oriented to the development of “on-board†technologies required to enable maritime versatile applications to be built on future S-band based service platforms.
The HeHPV – short for “Helium High-Pressure Vessel” – is an innovative, light-weight, cost-competitive composite-overwrapped tank for storage of helium pressurant gas for satellite propulsion systems. Based on a common diameter, a tank family range of 50-75 l has been qualified for current and future satellite demands.
The project has succeeded in the design, manufacturing and experimental verification of a demonstrator antenna design able to operate simultaneously at both the Ku and Ka-bands.
The challenges have proved hard due to the wide bandwidth that the system must cover operationally.
The system includes a monopulse output thought for helping in the pointing of such a large antenna bor Ka-band operation.
The final system has achieved a very good performance and paves the way for the implementation of these kind of systems at customer premises.
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test two Ku-Band IMUX channel EMs (narrow and wide band) to demonstrate mass and size reduction of at least 25% compared to conventional dielectric filter technology.
The CM Std Evo 1 project aims to improve the flexibility of the SPACEBUSTM 4000C Communication Module (CM) concerning the accommodation and the evolution of the payload and consequently to reduce the duration of the accommodation phase at the beginning of the project.
The input multiplexer and the low power circulators are crucial components in a satellite communication payload. In modern multimedia satellites the complexity of the payload is increased by adding more and more signal processing features to the simple amplification, and the role of the input multiplexer therefore becomes even more pronounced. The project focuses on C- and Ka-band circulators and isolators.
Tesat has developed a demonstrator model of a Ku-Band TTC transponder within a DLR funded project. Through this demonstrator the principal functions and performance of the equipment has been verified. However, for customer acceptance with respect to future flight applications it is essential to demonstrate the maturity by an engineering qualification model (EQM).
Within this Artes 3-4 activity the demonstrator model has been redesigned to incorporate several improvements and to include the latest customer requirements, concerning especially increased frequency agility. An EQM was manufactured and submitted to a qualification test campaign.
The aim of this activity is to develop an EQM model for a Ka Band Preselected filter with a compact design and low insertion losses for comsat's payloads and also to be placed after the antennas.
This filter is used in the payload to filter the up-link corresponding to the commercial band defined within Ka Band. This component is placed between the reception antennas and the input of the IMUXES.
Through the Artes-34 R&D project “2nd Generation Command Receiver” (“Rx2”) with ESA, Norspace has developed and successfully qualified the frequency agile Command Receiver. The EQM was qualified both as a Ku-band and a C-band Command Receiver in two different test campaigns. In addition the program has also prepared the receiver for Ka-band operation.
The project was divided into two phases, Phase 1 and Phase 2.
The main objectives of the Phase 1 project activities were to:
• Establish status for conventional- and laser pyrotechnics
• Establish requirements for a satellite optopyro system
The main objectives of the Phase 2 project activities were to:
• Design and build breadboard based on Phase 1 conclusions
• Verify the function and performance of the breadboard
Through the Artes-34 R&D project “Ku Baseband Converters for Digital Transparent Processors” (“KuBB”) with ESA, Norspace has developed and successfully qualified the two frequency converter units for conversion between Ku and Baseband frequencies. The up- and down-converter units are tailored for use on advanced High Throughput Satellites using digital transparent processors.
Spread spectrum modulation has important advantages, compared to classical standard modulation, allowing simplification of the frequency allocation plan, discrimination between signals or users being done by the spreading code, and also being less sensitive to any impairing signal.
This study driven by Airbus Defence and Space aims at dimensioning such a system for collocated fleet and hosted payloads management.
The project consists in developing new and denser products offering a broader range of modulation standards for the broadcast market. DVB-S2X capable, multi-stream, multi-carrier modems, modulators and demodulators provide innovative solutions for any broadcast related satellite link.
This project comprised the development of an Optical to IF Switch, based on the Romeo and Juliet chipset, which acts as the optical receiver for a DVB-S optical distribution system, providing outputs connecting to 16 STBs The unique features of this unit is that it allows additional units to be connected enabling more than one orbital slot to be received.
The study explored new On-Ground BeamForming (OGBF) techniques and architectures for both fixed and mobile applications and provided a roadmap for their implementation.
Different mission scenarios, spanning both fixed and mobile applications, were considered for assessing the key technical and commercial benefits which could be obtained with the proposed techniques.
The Pleiades project is based on 2 satellite communications modem physical layer development tracks, bringing new IP connectivity solutions to the corresponding 2 market segments:
A consumer oriented market on one side (addressed by Newtec’s Sat3Play™ solution, deployed in star VSAT networks).
High end professional markets on the other side (addressed by Newtec’s Elevation™ products, deployed in point to point networks).
The Space Single Channel Emulator (Space-SCE) is a test bed designed to digitally emulate simultaneously the behavior of one forward and one return channels of a satellite Payload, i.e. all the RF phenomena arising between one gateway, and up to 300 terminals receiving communications through one transponder.
The SPACEBUS G3 activities group two products: A Slip Ring Collector (SRC) and an Absolute Angular Sensor (AAS). The aim of this activity was to perform the manufacturing, integration, assembly and qualification of one G3 Slip Ring and one G3 AAS. These activities are the follow up phase of an ARTES 5.2 project, which consisted in the design of G3 SRC and AAS.
This project covers bread-boarding an efficient spectral monitoring concept design and its validation using realistic in-space spectral sensing scenarios. Dynamic sensing within the C-, Ku- and Ka-bands are targeted, considering the integration aspects with commercial satellites to achieve minimal impact in terms of size, weight, power consumption and complexity. The project targets a proof-of-concept architectural design and not a direct equipment design.
Iris is Europe’s latest development in satellite-based aviation safety services. The Iris Service Evolution is looking into the technology, operational and strategy roadmap to meet the long term requirements for air traffic control services aligned with the SESAR Future Communication Infrastructure objectives. It follows the activities conducted in the Iris Precursor project which intends to provide initial services by 2019 to complement the existing terrestrial data link services.
The Radio Frequency performances of LNA components on-board telecommunication satellites are proportional to the temperature at which they are kept. The lower it is, the better are the performances. This project focuses on the implementation of a Thermo Electric Cooler (TEC) for the temperature control of the component, optimizing masses, size and power consumption, outside the LNA hermetic sealing.
ANTARES (AeroNauTicAl REsources Satellite based) is the phase B study, within the Iris programme, designing a new Satellite Communication System for Air Traffic Management. The study focuses on the development of a new satellite-based communication system including low-cost user terminals and an open satellite communication standard, entirely designed around aviation’s requirements
Thales Alenia Space France, has been leading this study along with TAS-E, Inmarsat and the University of Bologna.
The main objective was to define the technology roadmaps that need to be implemented by the European and Canadian industry players to be able to deploy Next Generation MSS systems, in L and Ka bands, in two stages, one called Benchmark Systems, and the other called Advanced Systems.
VSATs link quality is very dependent on the tropospheric situation along the fixed slant path between the terminal and the satellite. The SatcomWeather project seeks for support of VSAT operators in optimizing networks and data throughput over time by classifying stations with optimization potential, optimize thresholds for installations, and derive weather data from the VSAT-measurements.
During the recent decades, Harmonic Drive AG built up a good and reliable technical and application know-how in industrial applications, mainly precision and high-demanding ones.
Similar expertise was gained now for space applications by the development, design, integration and testing of Harmonic Drive ® gears which are to be used in reliable, weight and performance optimised space mechanism.
The development provides a cost efficient on-board processor solution for applications using either RF signals or data collection services. Low bandwidth missions, such as Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Machine-To-Machine (M2M) communication have been targeted, as well as more general applications such as spectrum survey, geo-location and general data collection services.
The objective of this ARTES3-4 project is to design, manufacture and qualify an Engineering Qualification Model of a Selectable Sub-Reflector Antenna. This new Rx/Tx antenna product aims to cope with coverage flexiblity needs in Ku band. This antenna is steerable and able to generate 1 shaped or pencil beam among 4 possible. The antenna is in dual optics Gregorian configuration, it is composed of 4 shaped sub-reflectors. The desired sub-reflector is positioned in front of the feed thanks to a rotary actuator.
